TribLive stories, Page 48
California withdraws lawsuit challenging Trump’s $4 billion high-speed rail funding cut
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California this week withdrew its lawsuit against the Trump administration over the termination of about $4 billion in federal funding for its high-speed rail project, citing the federal government’s unreliability as the reason for the decision. The development follows a lawsuit filed in July, when California sued...
Michigan agrees to 5-year contract with ex-Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has agreed to a five-year contract with Kyle Whittingham to replace fired and disgraced football coach Sherrone Moore, according to multiple reports. Whittingham announced two weeks ago that he would step down after 21 seasons as Utah’s coach. Morgan Scalley was promoted from defensive coordinator...
Police identify suspect they say shot at woman and her dog during domestic incident in Shadyside
Police have released the name of the man who arrested Friday in connection with a violent domestic incident in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood after, police say, he fired shots at a woman, her dog and an employee of a nearby business who had confronted him. Allegheny County Police filed several charges...
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pregnant with 2nd child
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Friday that she’s expecting to become a mom for the second time. “The greatest Christmas gift we could ever ask for — a baby girl coming in May 2026,” she wrote on Instagram. “My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family...
At least $18.7M poured into this year’s critical Pa. Supreme Court retention races
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Special interests, organizations connected to Pennsylvania’s richest man, and groups with mysterious donors broke spending records to...
Sharon Sedlar: When students fear for their lives, families deserve genuine choices
Sending kids to school shouldn’t be an act of courage — but for many families, it is. Just one mile from my home, at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, there was a stabbing. During this horrifically violent episode, kids texted with their parents to let them know they were ok....
Robin Abcarian: Australia just banned kids from social media. Shouldn’t we all?
Earlier this month, Australia became the first country in the world to enact a social media ban for kids under 16. As the children of Oz wept and gnashed their teeth (I presume), Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged them to “start a new sport, learn a new instrument or read...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 26-28
Christmas is over! Both the craziness and the stress have ended and we have almost a week until the new year. This is the perfect time to eat too much chocolate and too many leftovers, make plans with friends and see what’s going on in the city. Harlem Globetrotters: 100...
Letter to the editor: Let’s get the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl
Although I am not a Steelers fan, I do understand fans’ anger, pain and frustration with the team. The last time my favorite team went to the Super Bowl, my children were in high school. Now I have four grandchildren. Every year I pray for my team, “Please just get...
What you need to know about Highmark First Night in Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh will put on its holiday best to host the annual Highmark First Night, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The Cultural District will be ringing in the new year with a jam-packed lineup of performances, activities, fireworks and a midnight ball-raising. Tens of thousands of people are expected...
Letter to the editor: Let’s rename GOP ‘Cult of Trump’
The letter “Let’s change Dems’ name to Communist Party” (Dec. 16, TribLive) manifests as many falsehoods as you’d hear at a Trump rally. It’s true that most Americans would like to have some safety nets to help the less fortunate, but that’s hardly communism. The writer presents no points that...
The Stroller, Dec. 26, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Super bingo to benefit...
Laurels & lances: Charity & clarity
Laurel: To a spirit of giving. Western Pennsylvania communities deserve credit for stepping up — again — at a time when generosity is harder to give. This year’s Toys for Tots campaign was more important than ever as families through the region struggle with high prices and stretched paychecks. Hundreds...
Letter to the editor: Legislators must fix flaw in crypto GENIUS Act
As someone deeply involved in both my community and our local banking ecosystem, I’ve taken a close look at the newly passed GENIUS Act. It appears to have positioned us to be a leader in the fast-growing world of digital assets and cryptocurrencies. However, there’s a flaw in this legislation...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Dec. 26-28
Westmoreland County offers several live music performances, museum events and community gatherings to fill the final weekend of 2025. From holiday-themed bingo to the conclusion of a worldwide church jubilee, here are five local events scheduled for this Friday through Sunday. Bon Journey A staple of the Western Pennsylvania music...
Icy road conditions on tap Friday for Pittsburgh-area motorists
Roads in the Pittsburgh area are about to get icy. The second of two clippers — storm fronts starting in Canada and sweeping past the Great Lakes into Western Pennsylvania this week — has led the National Weather Service to put Pittsburgh under a winter storm watch. Up to a...
This Christmas, David Overstreet II is ‘where he needed to be’ to honor father’s legacy
FRISCO, Texas — David Overstreet II has faint memories of his father, but he was told stories about the type of man he was. The Cowboys’ cornerbacks coach was just 13 months old when David Overstreet I died in 1984 in a car crash in Winona, Texas. His father was...
Penn State has 4 opt-outs for Pinstripe Bowl; other veterans will be limited
Perhaps surprisingly, Penn State hasn’t had all that many “opt-outs” in the lead-up to Saturday’s Pinstripe Bowl tilt with Clemson. Defensive tackle Zane Durant, safety Zakee Wheatley, offensive lineman Vega Ioane and running back Nick Singleton are the lone veterans who have declared for the NFL Draft and decided not...
The Stroller, Dec. 25, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Merry Christmas, dearest readers...
Hometown playoff hero Robbie Mertz staying with Riverhounds
The hometown hero of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ run to their first USL Championship title will be back in black and gold. Upper St. Clair’s Robbie Mertz signed a two-year deal with a club option for a third year, the Riverhounds announced Wednesday. Mertz, a 29-year-old midfielder, has spent parts of...
Travelers on Friday will face tough weather conditions, PennDOT to limit speed on interstates
It looks like Pittsburghers won’t get a White Christmas this year. But meteorologists warn that Mother Nature is set to unleash ice, sleet and “a little bit of snow” just a day later — and the officials in charge of Pennsylvania’s roads are gearing up for a winter storm amid...
2025 high school basketball holiday tournament schedule
Boys basketball Friday’s schedule Allegany tournament Armstrong at Allegany, 7 p.m. Aquinas Academy tournament Seton LaSalle vs. Winchester Thurston, 5 p.m. Springdale at Aquinas Academy, 7 p.m. Burgettstown tournament Riverside vs. Geibel Catholic, 6 p.m. Brashear at Burgettstown, 7:30 p.m. Plum tournament Knoch vs. Latrobe, 6 p.m. Highlands at Plum,...
Todd L. Pittinsky: The Ivies can weather the Trump administration’s research cuts — it’s the nation’s public universities that have the most to lose
Most of the media coverage of the federal government’s recent cuts in federal research money for universities has focused on its effects on a handful of elite Ivy League universities, such as Harvard, Columbia and Cornell. “When you take money away from a Columbia or a Harvard or other institutions,...
Gallery: Photos from Dec. 24, 2025
Christmas looks a little different around the world — but the joy, light and celebration feel the same everywhere. From snowy city squares to sun-soaked celebrations, traditions shine in every corner of the globe. Different cultures, shared joy — as Christmas is celebrated around the world....
3 arrested in $14 million gift card fraud scheme that hit shoppers across Texas
DALLAS — What looked like ordinary gift cards on store racks across Texas were quietly turning into empty plastic. State investigators say a months-long scheme drained millions from unsuspecting shoppers — until it ended with three arrests this week. The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center has arrested three men accused...
